Political Quotes

“Mr. Chief Justice, I send to the desk a question submitted on behalf of myself and Senator Schatz, directed to both White House counsel and the House managers. The CHIEF JUSTICE. Thank you. The question from Senators Murkowski and Schatz directed to both parties: Would you agree that almost any action a President takes, or indeed any action the vast majority of politicians take, is, to one degree or another, inherently political? Where is the line between permissible political actions and impeachable political actions? The President's counsel will go first. Mr. Counsel PHILBIN. Mr. Chief Justice, Senators, thank you for that question, and I think that the question really hits the nail on the head. As I mentioned the other day, in a representative democracy, elected officials almost always have at least one eye looking on to the next election and how their actions--their policy decisions, their actions in office--will be received by the electorate, and there is nothing wrong with that. That is good. It is part of the way representative democracy works. So having part of your motives being looking toward the next election, looking toward how that will affect electoral chances--that is part of the nature of elected office.…”